My favorite time of year...

Sale begins at Midnight tonight {Sunday}! :)

Why didn't you tell me?!

I'm not sure about you but I am EXHAUSTED!!!!!

I just finished my first week of school and it was so overwhelming.  I am back in Kindergarten after spending two years in first grade and boy, had I forgotten how needy loving these little guys are! :)  I mean, seriously! I did not sit ONCE during the school day and forgot to eat my lunch three out of five days! It's insane! My feet hurt, my throat hurts, I'm asleep in bed every night by 9pm, and have already caught my first illness of the year. Not a way to spend a Saturday.

Why didn't someone remind me!

Even with all the complaining, I am *over-the-moon* happy to be back down in Kinder-land! I love how small they are, their small voices, how loving they are.  I went from being just plain old "Mrs. McHaffie" in first grade, to a real live SUPERSTAR in Kindergarten! I am not only funny, but "cute" (according to one sweetie), an artist, musician, mathematician, scientist, smartest person in the whole wide world, and the "best singer EVER!" :)

How has your first week(s) gone?  Are you feeling as exhausted as I am?

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In other news, I have emailed all the participants of my Postcard Exchange!  If you were one of the selected representatives for your state, check your email for your first set of postcard labels!! :)

We are still 10 states short, however, and need YOU! If you live in one of the states listed below, we would love for you to join in on the fun! I would like for everyone to get postcards sent out before Christmas break.  

States needed:

Alabama, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming

Click HERE to sign up!

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I've also been super jealous of all the people who have got to attend Blogger Meet-Ups!!  I live in the Florida Panhandle and am dieing to have a meet-up but am afraid that no one will be able to come or will want to travel here.  So, I'm curious....Who lives near me and where could we {or rather, where would you be willing} meet up?! I'm down to travel to a more central location! :)

We're Going on Tour {linky}

I'm so excited to host my first ever linky party!!!

I have spent the last week and a half secluded in my classroom working hard to get it all set up and ready for the first day.  I spent NUMEROUS hours on Pinterest and browsing blogs to find some inspiration for my kinder classroom this year.  I do not have a Cameo or a lot of "moolah" so I had to deal with what I was handed! :)  I'm exhausted just remembering what my week was like!

I know you all feel my pain! So, without further ado here's a tour of my classroom this year!

This is what you see when you open my door and look straight ahead! The black thingy is the back of my listening center book shelf. I painted it with magnetic paint and will let the kiddos use it during word study:

Below is what you see when you walk in my classroom and look slightly to the right! :)  

 Here is my reading nook {same as last year just moved a little to the left} and my housekeeping area:

 These pirate birthday cuties were inspired by none other than Mrs. Deanna Jump!!  She made them to use as a center.  You can check them out HERE.

 Close up version.  I wrote their name on "gold coins" {gold paper circles} and hot glued them onto the treasure boxes!

 Another look at my housekeeping area. Still a work in progress but I'm loving my makeshift window!

 Behavior chart and listening center area...and of course my stove!

I recreated the behavior chart after being inspired by Mrs. Williamson.

 Listening center again.  Our listening center anchor chart from Daily Five will go in the space above the beanbags.  Got the idea to hang the headphones after seeing THIS blog post from Dandelions and Dragonflies {SUPER organized and color-themed room}!

 **LOVE** my pirate.  Inspiration from Jennifer at First Grade Blue Skies!  The board was going to say "Kindergartners ARRRR Great" but there wasn't enough room! hehe

Color word posters curteousy of Tricia {only TWO BUCKS!!}!

 Saw these bad boys at Target last year and knew I HAD TO HAVE THEM when they came out again this year!  My tables have a number and color!  Saw these same center caddies on Michelle blog {Fabulous in First} too! They are so cute!

 My favorite part of the room! :)  Made the ship last year after being inspired by Deanna Jump!  Love all the other wonderful ideas and creations I snagged from Pinterest and TPT!

 My desk and guided reading area!

Phew!  I didn't take a picture of my math workstations area and computers because it looks exactly like it did last year!  You can check it out HERE if interested!  

Side track:  We need TEN states to complete our Postcard Exchange! The rest of us 40 are ready to rock and roll! :)  If you are from one of the following states then sign up ASAP {HERE}! It's a great learning opportunity for your kiddos:

Alabama, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming!!

Back to the tour:  

Now, lets take a tour through your room!

Kindly link up to your classroom tour POST not your BLOG! 

Thank you! :)  Happy Browsing!

So Stinkin' EXCITED!!

DJ Inkers now has Commercial Liscensing available!!!!!!!!!!

I am over-the-moon excited about  this.  Which, of course means that I am going to go nuts creating stuff with their adorable clipart and fonts!!

 Check out their website for more info. 

I'm also excited about the HUGE back to school sale that begins tomorrow at TPT!  Holy moly is my cart FULL of items ready to purchase! 

I.CAN.NOT.WAIT.

 ALL items in my store will be 20% off PLUS you get an additional 10% off from TPT! You really can't beat a good deal like that! :)

The sale will also be held at my Teacher Notebook store!!!

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After six hours in my classroom yesterday I still do not feel like I made a dent in my room.  There's just SO MUCH STUFF! Heading back today in hopes of getting at least 80% of the room set up.  I think it's time to purge!

Happy Saturday!

FINALLY and Welcome {freebie}

I am FINALLY allowed into my room!!  There will be no AC in this horrible Florida humidity but with three industrial-sized fans blowing from every direction, I'm hoping to get some stuff accomplished! FINALLY! woohoo!

I will post pictures of my room progress when I get a chance.

Remember the other day when I said I would be posting my first "Made it Monday?"  You might have noticed that didn't happen!  My projects came to a stand-still when the four-day workshop began {which I'm suppose to be getting ready for right now...it can wait}.  SO...this weekend my goal is to finish up the projects and post this upcoming MONDAY! Fingers crossed!

I did make one thing and it's now a FREEBIE!

I love banners and since I don't have a fabulous Cameo {YET} I printed these, laminated, and will adhere them to ribbon today...at some point.

Click HERE to go snag your freebie!

If you live in the following states...sign up for our Postcard Exchange.  We desperately NEED YOU!!!!! :)

 ALABAMA, HAWAII, MONTANA, NEVADA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW MEXICO, NORTH DAKOTA, UTAH, WEST VIRGINIA, WYOMING

Click HERE to sign up!

Currently...slacking! :P

I am slacking big TIME on my currently!  I always participate in this fun blog linky party but when I went to snag my template last night I noticed there are already 389 people who have linked up!!! How fun is that?!  

I love reading other peoples "currently posts." I feel like I learn a little bit about each person and, of course, you guys are all my close friends {or at least I talk about you like we are}! :P 

okay. with out further ado:

 

B2S:  This was a little tough.  I could have listed at least 15 more items!!!

1)  My MAC - without my precious {OLD} MAC I would not be able to create all the things wanted NEEDED to start the year off right OR grab all the amazing things that fellow teachers have created that are going to make me an ROCKIN' teacher this year! :)

2) Clorox wipes - because I know that when I am eventually allowed into my classroom, I am going to need a TON of clorox wipes and gloves!

3) Laminator - this goes without saying.  DUH!

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On a side note...how obsessed are you with the Olympics?!  I.CAN.NOT.GET.ENOUGH.  

My favorites...Gymnastics (I mean, I should be in the Olympics for this..hehe), swimming, and track and field {my friend's sister will be polevolting for the USA.  Her name is Lacey Janson.  Cheer for her!!! :)}

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I absolutely LOVE reading Farley's Currently posts and love linking up.  Click HERE to head over and join in on the fun!

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Okay. Quick plug.  I created library labels for my classroom three years ago and have had many requests to post them.  Well, I couldn't find where I saved them for the life of me...until yesterday! woohoo!!!!

 

You can grab 30 themed category labels for a whopping $4! 

I'm open to suggestions to add to the pack as well {as long as you have purchased the product...don't have too much time to add to it for fun :p }.

I used clipart from Thistle Girl Designs for 99% of the packet.  I (as Farley says) "puffy heart" Thistlegirl Designs.  Click HERE to check out her website!!

{I cut the labels in half to save "paper!" So some labels will have TWO images on them}

I use AVERY labels.  I use the White Address Labels 8860 for the smaller labels and the Shipping Labels 48264 for the larger basket/bucket labels.

 

Click HERE or HERE if interested in snagging your cheap-o packet of organizational heaven! :)

Happy Monday and Back to School!

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Still need 15 states for the Postcard Exchange! 

I can't believe it!

I can't believe the time has come to go back to work. Where did the time go?!

Summer NEVER went by this fast as a child, especially in high school.  I would get so bored ALL THE TIME! Now, there's not enough time in a day to get all the things I need to get done, done.  

It's funny how differently things are when you become an adult. :)

As you all already know {because I've complained several times} I can't get into my classroom yet, so I've been working on curriculum and classroom management items at home.

 The other day I posted about a wonderful sound/spelling packet {click picture above to snag your copy} that I use in my classroom.  After looking at it, I realized you needed options.  I have now updated it so that there is a colored version and a black line version! Woohoo!

 {example of black line pages}

I just posted this little packet last night:

My mother, thankfully, saved a lot of my stuff from when I was in elementary school.  One of the things that I found in my pile of goods was an alphabet book that I had created in my first grade class.  That got me thinking....what better way to get my kiddos engaged in reading while reviewing letter sounds and letter recognition, then to create alphabet books!!  So I came up with this:

These books are foldable and can be colored by your cuties!

I think I'm going to introduce these whole group, like I do with my decodable books, and then use them in my small groups as well. 

I'm also planning on having them generate more items that they can think of that begin {or end...for letter "x"} with the same sound.  Just as a whole group review type of mini-lesson! :)

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Aside from fun computer stuff, I have been tackling my Pinterest inspired and other projects!  Still putting some finishing touches to them but am excited to participate in my first "Made it Monday" post!  Stay Tuned!

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We still need 16 states to complete our Postcard Exchange!

Click HERE to become part of an awesome project! :)

 

Sound Spelling Extravaganza!!

I am dying to get into my classroom! I have seen so many fantastic ideas on everyone's blogs that it's making me CRAZY! 

I still can not get into my room until {at earliest} Monday.  Keep in mind I have a training Monday-Thursday next week that last until 4:30!!  We go back to school the following Monday.  Anyone wanna come to Tallahassee and help make my room pretty?! :)

Since I can't get into my room {and it's been raining like crazy} I have had plenty of time to finish my "creating to-do list!"

Next up is a Sound Spelling & Syllable Count packet

I used to use a much older version that I got from my interning teacher but the clipart was ....well....old and NOT cute! It also didn't have the syllable counting which I love to have my kiddos do {while also meeting the standards, of course}!  This packet includes a worksheet for each of the 26 letters of the alphabet.

Each page contains six words that the kiddos have to stretch out and spell phonetically.  Then, they get to clap out and record the syllables for each word.

 Last year I had my first graders complete the packet {the old version} independently.  This year I am going to do these worksheets as I introduce/review each letter of the alphabet.  I will also use them for small group practice.  For that I'm going to laminate a colored copy of each page and let the kids use them with a Expo marker.  You could also just put the page in a page protector and do it that way as well.  

 I'm so excited about the cuter and "more challenging" version!

I included the Common Core standards for Kindergarten and First Grade on each page.  Hopefully that will make it easier for you to check off who has mastered that skill and who needs more practice. :)

You can snag your own copy at my TPT Store or Teacher's Notebook store!

While I'm talking about my stores I want to thank each and everyone of you for your purchases and kind words.  You may remember a post I made months ago about our financial state.  We are still trying to get our heads above water but with these stores and with your help, we're slowly starting to see the end of the tunnel.  So THANK YOU! 

I've also linked up with Cheryl at Primary Graffiti.  She's hosting a Back to School Bash and guiding you to amazing products and freebies! Go check it out!

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UPDATE: I've also uploaded an EDITABLE version to my communication binders!!! Click above to head to my store to check them out!!!

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We still need 16 states for our Postcard Exchange to be complete.  If interested click HERE!  We NEED YOU!!!! :)